Sadoff talks on quantum physics (not quantum medicine) to Wellness Program

By Mark Siegal '00

Quantum physics, the science of the atomic and subatomic worlds, underlies such medical tools as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and the laser, but there is no such thing as "quantum medicine," said Cornell visiting professor of physics Ahren Sadoff in a Feb. 24 talk for the university's Wellness Program.

Ahren Sadoff, visiting professor of physics, speaks to Wellness Program members in the Biotechnology Building Feb. 24. Nicola Kountoupes/University Photography

Sadoff was asked to speak to Wellness Program members in reaction to an article by Deepak Chopra, an advocate of alternative medicine, claiming a connection between quantum physics and human health. Although Sadoff said he does not believe in this connection, there still was interest in the subject of quantum physics within the program, so he lectured on "Quantum Physics ... What Is It?"

"I tried to give people an idea of what quantum physics is all about, the basic principles. It's something that can seem very mysterious, because we don't see its direct effects much in our daily lives," said Sadoff.

Quantum physics can be a daunting and strange subject, Sadoff said. He opened by quoting Nobel prize-winning physicist Richard P. Feynman: "I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics."

Sadoff described several principles involving "quantum weirdness," which can seem to contradict classical physics. "In tunneling, microscopic particles are able to get places that they're not allowed classically," he said. He also described the uncertainty principle, which limits the precision of certain measurements.

Sadoff explained the concept of fluctuations in a vacuum, where particles appear seemingly out of nothing. "What's amazing is that sometimes nature can violate its own conservation laws. In quantum physics, for very short times, energy is not necessarily conserved," he said.

But just because there is weirdness and uncertainty in other fields, such as medicine, that does not imply a connection with quantum physics, Sadoff said. The connection to medicine, he said, is that quantum physics governs interactions between atomic nuclei and electrons, which allows high resolution imaging technology like MRI and Positron Emission Tomography (PET).

Afterward, Sadoff said he was pleased with the lecture. "I thought it went pretty well. People did ask some interesting questions, and I think I satisfied some of their curiosity on the subject," he said.

Sadoff earned a Ph.D. in high energy physics from Cornell in 1964. He conducts research at the Wilson Synchrotron Laboratory and for 12 years has taught Physics 201, "Why the Sky is Blue: Aspects of the Physical World." He also teaches at Ithaca College.